The invention relates to optical data communications devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a multi-plate optical comb filter and devices (e.g., a deinterleaver, an interleaver), having, a multi-plate optical comb filter.
As telecommunications usage increases as a result of, for example, increased Internet usage, increased types of communications, population growth, etc., telecommunications providers are required to provide greater voice- and data-carrying, capacity. In order to reduce cost and the amount of time required to provide the increased capacity wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) have been developed, which provide increased capacity without requiring new fiber optic cables.
WDM and DWDM technologies combines multiple optical signals into a single fiber by transporting each signal on a different optical wavelength or channel. Multiplexing and demultiplexing, of optical channels is typically accomplished with thin film optical filters. However, multiple layers of film are required to multiplex and demultiplex multiple channels, which increases the cost and complexity of a component. Another disadvantage of multiple layers of thin film for filtering is that the thin films break down over time, especially when operating under high power conditions.
What is needed is an improved optical filter that can be used for multiplexing and demultiplexing, optical signals.
Multi-plate optical filters and applications therefor are described. In one embodiment, a multi-plate optical filter includes a set of glass plates that are placed immediately adjacent to one another with a partially reflective material between each of the pairs of plates to form a glass plate structure. A partially reflective material is also included on the front and the back of the glass plate structure. The multi-plate filter can have three, four, five, or more glass plates.
In an alternate embodiment, one or more multi-plate optical filters are included in an optical signal deinterleaver to separate a set of optical signals into two or more subsets of optical signals. In another embodiment, one or more multi-plate optical filters are included in an optical signal interleaver to combine two or more subsets of optical signals into a single set of optical signals.